Aww, I skimmed through a synopsis and too many things sound familiar, which means I have probably read it already. Shoot.

-- "Mystery is important. To know everything, to know the whole truth, is dull. There is no magic in that. Magic is not knowing, magic is wondering about what and how and where." ~ Cortez, from The Longest Journey

IMO it was just an attempt for RJ to drag out the series. Remember, he intended to finish it in 6 books. In fact, he was never going to write the other prequels after it came out due to fan reaction.

I remember once hearing that no one's favourite book in a series is number 17.

IMO it was just an attempt for RJ to drag out the series. Remember, he intended to finish it in 6 books. In fact, he was never going to write the other prequels after it came out due to fan reaction.

I remember once hearing that no one's favourite book in a series is number 17.

a question now is will a new video game be made? red eagles attempt to kickstart RTS game for mobile was a failure and thought to Gamebanshee to be the death of the one hinted at that Obsidian was producing. Red Eagle heard the ire of RJ just before he died for not paying their workings so I don't think his wife, Hilary, would approve if she had a say in it. Red Eagle may have the license locked up ala THQ and South Park.

What they don't have is the TV/Movie rights. Someone else owns that option. I would think after the success of Game of Thrones someone must be taking this very seriously. Maybe they could condense.

Finally, there may be one more book on the way - a proper encyclopedia - a sort of sequel to The Guide. RJ planned it and Hilary had mentioned before that there was no plans to shelve the project.

My least favorite of the bunch was actually book 1. Reminded me too much of the beginning of every other high fantasy saga I'd read before. But he really took off from there, IMHO. And I love the way magic is used and described in his world.

-- "Mystery is important. To know everything, to know the whole truth, is dull. There is no magic in that. Magic is not knowing, magic is wondering about what and how and where." ~ Cortez, from The Longest Journey

Wheel of Time discussion thread (OP)

January 26th, 2013, 02:20

There's been lot's of talk lately about the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan since the publishing of the 14th and last book in the series A Memory of Light. I've been guilty of changing the subject to it myself.

This is a thread, if you are interested, in discussing the events in the series especially that amazing, final book. Spoilers will abound.

Maybe we can get Arhu to buy it instead of waiting for the digital release in three months. I know I tried to talk down the Barnes and Noble clerk $5 by telling him it was $20 on their website. He wanted to know if I wanted him to order it.

Here's a topic - is it possible to skip books 6-13 and just read it in order: 1-5, 14?

Probably not, but you could summarize those middle books into ONE (1) book without losing too much. Just think, if we deleted all references to braid tugging and tea parties we'd save one or two books with that alone!!

Originally Posted by Lucky Day
Here's a topic - is it possible to skip books 6-13 and just read it in order: 1-5, 14?

Yes you can. The plot became stretched thin. Hope Game of Thrones doesn't end up this way.

General complaints of the series are as follows-

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE IF…

General Complaints

It would have been nice if… the descriptions of clothing was reduced by half or more. Also, there is no need to reaffirm personality traits more than three times.

It would have been nice if… the last three books did not devote entire chapters to the points of view of minor characters that do nothing important and have no influence on any major plot-line. Is it really necessary to spend two chapters on Shalon or Elenia?

It would be nice if… men and women in the WoT universe were not so uniformly and blindly resentful of the opposite gender.

It would be nice if… one of the female protagonists placed more importance on world events than how she looks.

It would be nice if… there was at least one major or semi-major character who does not fall in love with someone unexpectedly. C'mon, that's just not realistic in the context of a world with people.

It would be nice if… some Aes Sedai besides Moiraine and Verin would act their ages. You'd think that great age would grant at least a few of them maturity.

It would be nice if… Robert Jordan wrote the series for fans as well as "just for himself."

Originally Posted by Lucky Day
Maybe we can get Arhu to buy it instead of waiting for the digital release in three months.

Nope, but thanks for trying. I wouldn't even know what do with a single hardcover book. I'm a collector, packrat and completist at heart.

Btw, I'm probably the only one who liked reading about braid tugging, extensive descriptions of clothing, minor characters and whatnot. I became a fan party because of those things, because they helped me imagine everything better and more thoroughly. I didn't mind the dragging-out of the story, because I wanted to keep reading about the world.

It would be nice if… Robert Jordan wrote the series for fans as well as "just for himself."

That sentence doesn't make any sense. How could someone become a fan if they didn't like what they were reading?

-- "Mystery is important. To know everything, to know the whole truth, is dull. There is no magic in that. Magic is not knowing, magic is wondering about what and how and where." ~ Cortez, from The Longest Journey

Two and three were really good but I don't remember four. But stopping at #4 is a shame. #5 is like the Sgt Pepper's album and everything after that is like the White Album.

I agree with Arhu, the first book wasn't great - except for the discovery that Moraine's explanation for everything regarding the Wheel starts to fall apart. That was clever, showing she wasn't as in control or as wise as she wanted others to think she was.

Lord of Chaos is really a very impactful book, but like Heretics of Dune, as important as it is its just not a very good story.

I like the descriptions of clothing and such - this is where RJ was heavily influenced by Robert E Howard - a reference most people miss, in all his borrowing for mythology, history, and other peoples works. Hyboria was a world with a lot of cultures, and so was RJ's world.

All the falling in love business with everyone you meet I might be consistent with what's going on in the world. The dark one's touch has caused a slow decline in the population to the point where Andor can't even trouble itself to send a tax collector. However, if I know RJ he probably didn't think he needed a reason but he'd jump on that as his own were it ever suggested in his lifetime.

Of course, there are two female archetypes - the Morraine type and the Min type. Both of them are annoying and repeatedly cloned.

The Androl and Pervara characters , though minor, are a terrific story in book 14.

There is one serious hole in the entire storyline: Callondor. After Rand get's this sa'angreal RJ wrote himself into a corner and realized the story should start to finish here.

So instead of taking the most powerful item on the planet, locked away in a fortress for 3000 years and finally defeat the Dark One, he decides to fight some invaders, split up the rest of the ta'varen, and cleanse the taint? He couldn't fo that after?

Instead he has Rand just give it to a an Asha'man for safe keeping? How is that kind of power not going to tempt anyone? It was already established that once he acquires Callandor, anyone could use it. Later RJ saw its got flaws? And It needs an additional two women who can channel now? That's convenient. This is a nonsensical move more fitting in a comic book.

Originally Posted by Lucky Day
So instead of taking the most powerful item on the planet, locked away in a fortress for 3000 years and finally defeat the Dark One, he decides to fight some invaders, split up the rest of the ta'varen, and cleanse the taint? He couldn't fo that after?

The ter'angreal that could be used as a conduit to the massive sa'angreal statue was way more powerful than Callandor, so Callandor was hardly the most powerful item in the world.

Also, how was he supposed to use it against the Dark One? He admited he was clueless through most of the books as to how he was to defeat the dark one. He simply had no idea what to do with the prison etc. He would've been killed without getting close.

Anyway, I actually like descriptions and what not. It's probably because I prefer my books meaty and thorough. I'm not a big fan of books I can read in an afternoon, nor am I fan of books where I don't have enough time to really get to know the main characters.

Originally Posted by Lucky Day
Two and three were really good but I don't remember four. But stopping at #4 is a shame. #5 is like the Sgt Pepper's album and everything after that is like the White Album.
.

Originally Posted by Lucky Day
..So instead of taking the most powerful item on the planet, locked away in a fortress for 3000 years and finally defeat the Dark One, he decides to fight some invaders, split up the rest of the ta'varen, and cleanse the taint? He couldn't fo that after?

Silly lucky day. Everyone knows that the most powerful thing on the planet is a ring.